Roger Federer spoke on Swiss television about his tournament planning for the coming season. The 36-year-old is likely to pursue a strategy similar to that of last year.
Federer can look back on a surprisingly successful year in 2017. With victories at the Australia Open and Wimbledon, he increased his number of Grand Slam victories to 19. He also won the Masters in Indian Wells, Miami and Shanghai as well as the tournaments in Halle and Basel.
It was conspicuous that Federer decided to give up the clay court season altogether in order to prepare himself more intensively for the grass events. In an interview with SRF Sport, the Swiss now gave a big hint to SRF Sport that he wanted to repeat this in 2018.
“The Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open are the cornerstones of my next season,”he said, making it clear:”I will only go to the pitch if I am 100 percent fit”.
Federer himself also knows how extraordinary the past season was and believes that he can hardly repeat such successes:”It won’t be that good any more, I won’t be able to experience these emotions of 2017,”said the Maestro, but he remarked that he has often been able to surprise himself, and above all that he hopes for more “good moments”.
In the new season, many injured players such as Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and fellow countryman Stan Wawrinka will return to the Tour. Federer also has great respect for this:”This will have an impact. I’m assuming that one of these players will also be tearing up ropes. That way, you lose one game more and you’re going to win one or two tournaments less.”
Asked how much longer FedEx will be on the tennis court, he said realistically:”I don’t think I’ll be around in 10 years,”he said with a smile,”but hopefully for a few more years, who knows.”